


On Muggle Studies

by wynnebat



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen, Marauders' Era
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-11
Updated: 2012-03-11
Packaged: 2018-03-21 20:02:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 554
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3703649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wynnebat/pseuds/wynnebat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Peter thinks about his favorite class.</p>
            </blockquote>





	On Muggle Studies

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the [My Favourite Subject Competition](https://www.fanfiction.net/topic/44309/56431390/1/).

Peter wasn't supposed to take Muggle Studies. He didn't tell anyone that, of course, because then he would have had to tell them about why he's still taking it if he didn't choose it. He doesn't want to do that. It's a dumb reason, really.

McGonagall made an error on his schedule—she signed him up for Muggle Studies instead of Care of Magical Creatures. Peter's grandmother almost stormed Hogwarts to demand a schedule change, so Peter had told her that he'd take care of it himself to save face. He didn't. He was so scared of telling McGonagall; she was scary and strict and she'd look at him under her nose and ask him why didn't you speak up sooner? It's been two months, Mr. Pettigrew.

And he likes Muggle Studies. He didn't at first. Didn't expect to, either. He didn't know the first thing about muggles, other than that they all smelled and couldn't use magic. Professor Ortor had disproved Peter's first notion by handing out a packet titled Common Pureblood Falsehoods About Muggles, and the second by introducing him to muggle technology, which was like magic except not, as far as Peter could understand.

Professor Ortor was a quiet man, thin, old, looked like a breeze might blow him to the ground, and he had an easygoing way about him. He made Peter feel both dumb for believing the falsehoods and proud of realizing his mistake. He gave praise equally and often, too.

The class had only five students: Peter, Marlene, Helena, and two other boys (from Slytherin, so he refused to learn their names in principle). The other boys kept to themselves and didn't talk much. To be honest, neither did Peter. He couldn't talk to girls or Slytherins, so he sat in a corner desk and learned to use bizarre muggle devices. The ballpoint pen, for one. It was a bit lonely, but Peter didn't mind, because it was also quiet, and nice, and charming (with big open windows and a no magic policy), and he liked the peace he got in Muggle Studies. Stupid, because he enjoyed hanging out with his friends—but that wasn't peaceful. It was better than Charms and Potions, having friends, that is, but Peter didn't have any peace with them. But here, in the little classroom with muggle oddities, Peter found the peace and quiet he needed to stay sane at Hogwarts.

And although he would never admit it aloud, he liked not having to really try or struggle in a class for once. He liked the lack of pressure. Professor Ortor only tested them orally about once a month, and didn't even have a final exam. More importantly, he didn't give homework. With a class like this, Peter even found a few things he liked about muggles, though he'd never tell his grandmother that.

Muggle Studies wasn't interesting. It wasn't fascinating like Charms or dangerous like Potions, and Peter quite honestly didn't care about a race of people he'd never met before and probably never would. Besides, even if they didn't smell, there must be something else wrong with them, otherwise his grandmother wouldn't hate them so much.

So anyone asked him, he'd say Potions was his favorite subject.

But if he were to admit the truth, it was really Muggle Studies.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!
> 
> Complete; no sequel planned.


End file.
